Tamil Official Language and Culture Minister K. Pandiarajan conferring the Kalai award on an artiste in Thanjavur on Tuesday. Agriculture Minister R. Duraikannu is also seen. | Photo Credit: HANDOUT_E_MAIL more-in The State Government was finalising plans to make 10 crore non-Tamils the world over learn and speak Tamil as their second or third language in line with ushering in a global Tamil resurgence, Tamil Official Language, Culture and Archaeology Minister K. Pandiarajan said here on Tuesday. Speaking at a function organised to honour artistes with the ‘Kalai’(arts) awards, Mr. Pandiarajan said that it was estimated that around 9.5 crore people speak Tamil at present. By implementing a set of 18 schemes and projects, to be revealed more elaborately in the next State Government budget to be presented to the Assembly, it is expected the language could be introduced to an additional 10 crore non-Tamils worldwide to help them learn and speak Tamil, he observed. Pointing out that culture did not necessarily mean just song and dance, Mr. Pandiarajan pointed out that a culture’s first stage of expression was its language, the second art, the third values culminating in the fourth stage of expression that was showcased by its rituals. Describing Thanjavur as the cradle of art and culture, the Minister emphasised that language, art and culture were inseparable. The State Government was working out schemes to support all the three facets of Tamil civilisation, he added. Agriculture Minister R. Duraikannu, Collector A. Annadurai, Thanjavur MP K. Parasuraman, Joint Director, Department of Art and Culture, R. Gunasekaran, former Mayor Savithri Gopal, Principal, Government Music College, P. Uma Maheswari, and others were present. On the occasion, the Minister conferred the Kalai awards for 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 to a total of 15 artistes, five for each year. Kalai Ilamani awards were conferred on A. Naveen, P. Pavithra and R. Soundarya, while Kalai Valarmani awards went to R. Selvarani, M. Gajendran and T. Thulasiraman. Kalai Sudarmani awards were bagged by Kalyanapuram Srinivasan, G. Vajravel and T.P. Radhakrishnan and Kalai Nanmani recognition went to A. M. Muthukali, N. Sivaji and R. Kumaraguru. The Kalai Mudhumani awards were conferred on Pon Sundaraesan, P. Ramasamy and Thanjai S. Mani for the three years respectively.

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